


What means the most

by Nordra



Category: Xiaolin Showdown (Cartoon)
Genre: M/M, Mpreg
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-16
Updated: 2017-07-15
Packaged: 2018-10-06 04:58:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,263
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10326095
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nordra/pseuds/Nordra
Summary: What is that you value most? Pride? Glory? Or something entirely different?





	1. Chapter 1

The sounds of welding filled the room as Jack worked with his latest invention while few Jackbots hovered around, fulfilling minor tasks given to them. When the metal was finally joined together, Jack took off his welding mask, stretched and put away his tools. He then glanced at the clock and swore. Damn, not only he had pulled an all-nighter last night and slept only two hours in the early morning, it was already 4 PM. Meaning he was hungry and it would not be long until Ju came home...

"Okay guys," Jack announced. "Time to close the shop. Put everything in their place and you can go to recharge. Let's continue tomorrow!"

Answered with a chorus of "Yes sir," Jack waved to the robots and exited his workshop, grabbing his leather jacket along the way.

Good that workshop was actually on the ground floor and not underground, he did not need to climb stairs when heading to kitchen. Walking through the corridor towards a good meal, Jack glanced out the window and took in the afternoon sun lighting up the wintery Austrian mountains. This mountain-side mansion his parents had specially constructed was a lovely get-away they used while they were still alive and now served as peaceful home for their 28-year-old child. Built according to traditional Austrian architecture, the high-end mansion sat perfectly in the landscape.

Jack came into the kitchen and told Chef-Bot to start dinner. The former boy-genius then grabbed an apple and sank his teeth into it while moving to the dining room. Thinking about his parents brought back memories of old times in China...

When he build robots in the cellar, listened the screeching of an ancient witch, and got his ass kicked by teenage monks.

When his wardrobe included that overlong trench coat with an equally oversized collar.

Though these days his clothes were mature, they still held the same kind of air about them. Usually he had on a simple buttoned red shirt (right now he had a a light-grey t-shirt on) with a normal length black leather jacket (without that collar), fingerless gloves, and black pants with steel-tipped boots to prevent injuries. The goggles he still had, though today they hung around his neck instead of sitting at the top of head.

_Hmh, wonder what that old crone Wuya was up to today? Probably still mooching off others at the Land of Nowhere and harping about the Wu to Cha..._

Suddenly swallowing a lump in his throat that was not a piece of apple, Jack mentally shook his head. Better not to go there...

Tossing the core to trash can, Jack distantly heard the large double-door in the foyer bang. _Ah, looks like Ju came home early._

Not a moment later, a young boy dressed in light brown cargo pants and blue-white hoodie walked in the boy shook some snow off his black, shoulder-length hair that was pulled in pony tail before tossing his backpack next to the chair.

"Hi dad," the boy said and came to give Jack a hug.

Chuckling, Jack ruffled the slightly damp black hair. "Hey there little monster. How went the training?"

Pulling back, kid suddenly looked a little reserved, evading Jack's red eyes and casting his own, similar ones on the ground. "Fine..."

Arching his eyebrows, Jack detected some untold story there. "Okay Ju, what? Did something happen?"

"..." The child had no time to answer when suddenly, a loud beeping came from the backpack.

"Ah, DB! Sorry!" the boy kneeled and quickly opened the bag, letting a tiny metallic creature out. A brass-coloured, dragon-shaped robot hovered in the air, beating it's lighted amber-coloured wings like a hummingbird. It looked at the boy with similar coloured eyes, beeping angrily.

"I said sorry," child said, and as if accepting the apology, the tiny robot beeped and landed on his shoulder. It made it's home there and shut the lights on it's wings.

"I... um... just take the bag to my room..." the boy muttered and bolted off faster than kids normally can, draconic robot hanging on the shoulder with it's tiny clawed feet.

"Wha- Hey! Get back in here!" Jack shouted. "Ju-long Spicer! Get your butt in here right now!" But his words weren't having any effect. "Argh, damn that brat... Please, let it not be the SAME thing again..."

As if on cue, his cellphone rang. The song "The One Winged Angel" spilled from his phone before Jack managed to fish it from his pocket and answering.

"Jack Spicer speaking."

**"Good afternoon, Herr Spicer,"** male voice answered. **"This is Jan Weichselbraun from Martial Vienna. I am calling in the matter regarding Ju-long..."**

"I knew it," albino male sighed and pinched his nose bridge. Although he had a hunch he know what this was about, he felt he should ask. "What did he do?"

**"Yes, well... It seems that Ju-long got in an argument with another student and they got pretty... physical about it during the practice."**

Jack groaned. _Again!_

**"He also refused to follow the orders of the trainer..."**

_Sigh..._ "I will settle the thing with other kid's folks and pay for any damage, physical AND material," because really, there's ALWAYS material damages too. "I'll pay you triple the usually price and promise that Ju does not do this again..."

**"...As generous as that sounds Herr Spicer... I'm afraid that we can not let Ju-long to continue his studies in Martial Vienna, anymore..."**

"Oh for fuck's sake!" Jack cursed. "I'll pay four-times as much as you ask! It's was just an accident! Kids always get in fights!"

**"This is not about the money, Herr Spicer,"** voice sounded tired. **"It's just that Ju-long... He... This is not normal! No child of 9 should be able to break... no, SHATTER ALL the bones from adult man's arm! Not to mention the other student has 5 broken ribs!"**

"Shit..." Looks like Jack needed to give a call to his lawyers, again.

**"I'm sorry but this is final, Herr Spicer,"** male on the phone said. **"And if I may, maybe you should... um... do something about Ju-long... I am not meaning his temperament... He's... just not normal."**

"I know he's not in your category of "normal", asshole!" the albino yelled to the phone, getting tired and pissed at this jerk. "Should you know WHO his fucking father is, you'd realize that yourself even if you were brain dead!"

Disconnecting the call and throwing the phone to the wall (thank evil he made the device damage proof), Jack cursed again. Itwasn't what Ju had done, just that this meant that he had to find another gym that allowed Ju to study martial arts. This was like, what? A fourth time this year alone? He was running out of options... Soon Ju would have to go abroad if he wanted to learn more...

"Excuse me, Sir?" Chef-Bot interrupted it's creator's musings. "Dinner is ready. Shall I call for Young Master?"

"Yeah, sure. Go ahead," Jack waved for the bot to do it. "I'll just make a quick call for my lawyers. Need to start to buy people into silence again..." With that, man picked up his phone and exited the dining room.

When Jack returned, dinner was already served and Ju was sitting on his usual spot near the large windows. The tiny dragon robot skittering on the table, playing with a loose grape and beeping happily.

As Jack sat across the table and Chef-Bot brought his meal, Ju found himself more interested on picking at the his fish rather than looking at his Papa.

After a moment of silence that interrupted only with tiny beeps and clattering of silverware...

"So I just got a call from Martial Vienna."

Ju stabbed the fish.

"Anything you wanna add?"

"...Niklas was a moron."

"And your trainer?"

"An imbecile."

"Hmm-hm"

More silence.

Peeking at the adult, Ju asked, "Are you angry?"

"For beating up idiots? No, you know I'm not," Jack answered and actually grinned. "I'm more interested in what they did to earn that this time."

"Niklas said my eyes are freaky, so I kicked him," 9-year-old boy said. "They ARE not freaky!" For the moment, those eyes had red glow in them as round pupils turned slitted.

"So that covers the kid," Jack mused, unaffected by the change in those crimson eyes that were identical in color in his own. "What about the other one?"

Red eyes regaining their round pupils and glow dying out, Ju now hissed, "He first said that I need to apologize and then to pack my things. When I didn't and was just walking out, he took my arm and tried pull me back to say I was sorry. I twisted his arm and it made lots of cracking sounds."

If the kid did not just sound proud, then Jack was not as white as snow! Shaking his head, he chuckled. "Well, I have to say, nice work Ju. But you know that they are not taking you back there after that little stunt."

"It's not my fault that they have such soft bones! I hardly used any force!"

"Yeah, mere humans tend to be like that," Jack nodded and then gestured to himself. "Just like your ol' man here."

Ju frowned. "I wouldn't hurt you, dad..."

"I know, Ju," Jack reassured him before the little robot-dragon drew both male's attention. Having squashed the grape, it was now rummaging through the rest of the fruit basket on the table.

Ju laughed at the antics of his little friend while Jack took in his son's features.

Though Ju had crimson eyes that he had inherited from Jack, and occasional need to tinker with gadgets too, the rest...

The rest of Ju-long came directly from Chase Young.

Among with similar facial features, skin tone and midnight black hair (with greyish sheen instead of green), boy had also inherited inhuman strenght and senses. Sometimes, the two looked so alike, it was painful for Jack, but the genius could not resent the Ju-long for the situation that brought the boy to him.

Sure, he was not accustomed to being a parent back in those days and having a poor example of that, Jack could not help but to fell in love with this little monster that practically was dropped in his life. After his parents had died on business trip over a year before Ju's birth, Jack had his enormous inheritance that allowed him to give his newborn child a comfortable life.

Selling all properties but this Austrian mansion, he moved his workshop, robots, and his new baby there. Through the trial and error Jack managed to bring Ju up nicely. Figuring out early on that kid was not your average one brought issues, like schooling. The decision to home-school was right, since Ju had problem with "normal" people. He was smart, well smarter than his peers, and that was not yet even mentioning his supernatural parentage. He did not make friends, but it was not what Ju wanted; he saw other kids as inferior. Yet another similarity to Chase...

Ju himself knew he was different. Maybe subconsciously had always knew it, but that one tiny accident at the age of 6 just confirmed it. It was back then that Jack openly told the boy all about Xiaolin, Heylin, Jack's past, and his FATHER.

Now understanding himself better, Ju took the information with ease. Now he understood just why he was so different, and like Jack had said, better than others. Not even once had he told Ju not to do bad things when boy started to show seemingly inborn leanings towards evil things. Guess having Heylin magic in his veins had more than subtle effects...

"Well if you want, we could search a new place where you can continue to study kung-fu," Jack said after a while, causing Ju to focus back at him.

"I do!"

Snickering, Jack shook his head. "Alright, I'll start looking. AFTER I've finished the first tests on my teleporter."

Ju looked interested. He was not as in tune as mechanics like his Papa, but still liked to help him in the workshop once a while. "Can I try it, please?!"

"Wow slow down," The adult lifted his hands up. "It's not yet in THAT stage. I'm just starting with non-living test subjects!"

"Aww dad!" boy whined. "I wanna try it!"

"Not a chance."

"You're mean!"

"I'm taking that as a compliment any day."


	2. Chapter 2

_Jack let out a muffled groan as his back hit the wall the warlord pushed him into, claiming his mouth. The 18-year-old mechanic would have swooned at the prospect of having his first kiss –and a French kiss as well, mind you– taken by Chase Young if this hadn't just come out of the blue!_

_The former boy genius had just came to have his semi-regular visit to Chase's lair; which usually ended up with the immortal getting irritated at his number one fan and tossing Jack out; like he had been for years. Though Jack had grown, his success in the terms of Showdowns and Heylin hadn't really improved, regardless of the fact that his parents had just recently died and left their entire fortune to him to take advantage of. The other Heylin really didn't like him any more than they did in the past._

_So why had Chase suddenly grabbed him by the front of the jacket, slammed him into the wall in the immortal's foyer, and started to eat his face like a man starving, while Jack's feet dangled above the marble floor?_

_Pulling back and letting Jack get a vital dose of oxygen, Chase took a hold of Jack's jaw. Chase didn't need to tilt Jack's face upward thanks to both their positions and the albino's growth. It wasn't much of a growth spurt, as Jack was still about an inch shorter than the immortal. Thanks a lot, dad, for these midget genes!_

_"Listen well, Spicer," The Warlord growled, dead serious. "You have one chance to say no to this."_

_There was no question about what he was referring to._

_"But know that you will not read into this or speak of this to anyone. And afterwards, you will leave my home and never, ever step foot here or in a Showdown again. Should I see you before me again, you will regret the very day your ancestors decided to procreate! Understood?"_

_Jack, flushed and lightly panting, gulped before those demonic golden eyes, terrified to his very core. Chase had threatened him before, but this time…this time it was more than a threat. It was a promise. A deadly promise._

_"Am I understood?" Warlord snarled and shook him, in no way gentle._

_"U-unders-stood."_

_Nodding, Chase lowered the Goth to the floor. He, however, did not release his grip._

_"And your decision?"_

_Jack shivered. It was difficult to say what he was shivering for. Fear, yes, but Chase had said Jack could decide if they…they would…_

_...have sex._

_And the warlord, evil though he may be, was a man of honor. Chase wouldn't force him if Jack said no. And it wasn't that Jack was going to say 'No' right away. He was a healthy, virile young man on the verge of adulthood, who had read and watched more than a little porn, and who had had a humongous crush on the man before him since he was a teenager!_

_So it was no wonder that while his brain was screaming 'No! This man just outright threatened to kill me!', his body and hormones countered with 'Yes! YES! DO IT! DO IT! DO HIM!'_

_"...Yes..."_

***

_Despite his deadly words, Chase was actually quite gentle. Somehow, Jack had imagined the warlord being as cruel and sadistic in bed as he was on the battlefield. But here he was, touching and handling the mortal like he was made of glass, gently moving him to the right positions and learning all the tiny places that made Jack gasp and twist his pale body in reflex that caused rumbling growls to pour from the elder male._

_Sweat glistened on their skin in the dim lighting of the bedroom, movements effortless and fluid thanks to the selected oils and other substances, while the males whirled in the dance that echoed from the dawn of time. There wasn't a single gap separating the two from each other as the elder taught the younger lessons he had acquired through the centuries, the two bodies melting and becoming one with each grunt, moan, and gasp._

_Trying to meet every thrust Chase gave, Jack was so lost in euphoria that he could not recall the words before they started. Even if he could, they couldn't have diminished the sheer joy of being the object of his evil hero's desires, if even for a moment._

***

_"You can bathe if you wish, but after that you will leave, Spicer." The Warlord said as he moved from the bed, a dark-green silk robe appearing on him from thin air._

_"Remember what I said, for I will not repeat myself."_

_As he spoke, the immortal kept his back turned to the younger male, refusing to give him a moment's eye contact. And when Chase had finally walked out of the room, letting the door close, Jack felt his chest tighten. He now felt like shit._

_Now that the afterglow had passed, he started to feel like this was a bad idea. Jack had been controlled by his lust, which was why he had agreed to play a part in this one night stand with his idol in the first place. He loved the man! Who know undoubtedly saw him as nothing more than a willing whore…_

_And now…now Jack had to leave everything. The Showdowns, the war with the Xiaolin, the other Heylins. Chase._

_He had to, or he'd die._

_Sniffling like a child, Jack climbed out of the bed, flinching at the pain that shot through his lower body but still managing to collect his clothes and helipack. He hastily drew them on and ran from the bedroom, down the corridors and out the main door. Activating his helipack, Jack took flight and flew straight home, leaving the ominous mountain and a trail of tears behind._

***

_It had started a few weeks ago._

_At first, Jack thought that he had simply ate something bad. That maybe his body was just acting like that thanks to food poisoning, or maybe because of his emotions._

_But after two more weeks of waking up in the morning, only to rush to the toilet, he ordered his Doc-Bot to give him a full medical examination. He had built the robot with full understanding and knowledge of human physiology and his own medical history, making sure it knew the limitations and uniqueness that came with his albino body. Jack had long lost any faith in juman doctors who could not ever make a right decision regarding his body, and had for years trusted only Doc-Bot with his health. This bot, who was basically just a differently programmed Jackbot, was the one who always patched his creator up after a disastrous Showdown._

_It also had a nice stethoscope around its neck._

_But when the Bot announced the results, Jack finally believed that automaton had more than few circuits loose._

_"I'M WHAT?"_

_"Pregnant, sir," machine replied, showing the diagrams and results on the screen embedded in its chest. "I have performed all the possible tests, along with a pregnancy test, and despite the impossibility of it, you are very much pregnant."_

_"B-but I'm male! You must have made a mistake! A-and those test aren't 100% accurate!"_

_"I performed a blood test, sir. That is much more accurate than a urine test. And may I remind you that never before have my calculations or diagnoses been wrong. You programmed me yourself."_

_Knowing that the automaton was right, Jack slumped on his 'throne' kept in the workshop, mumbling to himself. "Pregnant... How is that even possible?"_

_"My suggestion?" Doc-Bot responded. "Magic."_

_"Thank you, Captain Obvious."_

_"Your welcome, sir. Shall I inform the others to start the preparations for the baby's arrival?"_

_"...Just go away."_

_As the robot floated off, not hurt at all by its creator's snapping, Jack leaned his head backwards, looking at the ceiling, before bringing his hand to press against his eyes._

_A baby..._

_He was pregnant. He, a human male. And not just pregnant! Jack was pregnant with Chase Young's child! At the thought of immortal man, Jack slowly brought his hand from eyes to his belly, as if to confirm the fact. Chase's child..._

_Despite the fear that started to rise in him and the knowledge that it would spell his doom, the Goth made up his mind._

_''I need to tell him."_

***

_As he stood on the ledge in front of the terrifying maw carved into the face of the mountain, Jack breathed heavily. Panic gnawed at his insides. Chase would not be happy with him being there, not after making it abundantly clear what would happen to Jack. But the warlord had the right to know._

_Steeling himself, Jack stepped forward but didn't manage to take more than two steps before he stopped._

_The main door opened and ten snarling tigers exited, all baring their fangs at Jack. The felines moved into a half circle, barring mechanic from entering. The beasts did not attack however, instead the booming voice of their master echoed from the deep reaches of the mountain._

_"I forbade you from returning, Spicer!" Chase's snarl chilled Jack to his very core. "Do you desire death so much? Leave or I shall grant it to you!"_

_"P-please, C-chase..." Jack stuttered, backing a few steps as one of the tigers growled. "There's something... I need to tell you that...!"_

_"Silence! I will not hear a word from you, insect! Be gone!"_

_The tigers licked their muzzles and slowly advanced. Jack gulped and instinctively moved his hand over his belly, in an effort to protect the unborn child. The cats took no notice of the gesture, too determined to fulfill their master's orders and remove this human from his presence._

_Mortal quickly spun around and leaped into air, activing his helipack. Yet another fast escape from the Land of Nowhere in a short span of time._

_Jack made it back home, where he collapsed to his knees on his Persian carpet. Tears fell and created dark spots on the fabric as Jack sobbed._

_When he had finally managed to get his breathing under control, the crimson eyes fell to his still lean stomach. Wrapping both his arms carefully around his belly, Jack gave a sad smile._

_"Guess it's only you and me, then..."_

_At some point Jack had started to love this baby, even if this whole situation was nothing less than a mess. If Chase didn't want to listen..._

_Fine. He wanted Jack out of his life? Done. He'd leave. Hadn't Jack already dropped out of the Showdowns to stay out of Chase's way? And none of the other Heylin had questioned it._

_None of them cared._

_He'd leave. Right after this baby was born. A fresh start somewhere else._

_"I can do this. I can."_

***

_Pregnancy was hectic. Not only the mood swings but also the cravings. And the pains. Oh, the pains!_

_On top of that, Jack had to arrange the selling of most of the properties and lands his parents had left him. He didn't need all of them. Already Jack had decided to move into the much large mansion in Austria. It was secluded and one of his favorites. There was a large hall he could transform into a new workshop._

_There was only this house in China left, but he already had buyers for it, too. Jackbots had already started to pack things, and once the baby was born, they'd leave._

_Being a pregnant male was not as difficult as he'd thought. Scans Doc-Bot had made showed that a womb had been created inside Jack. But since there was no…girl parts, for lack of a better word, on the outside, they had to perform a C-section when the time was right. Going to a hospital was a big no-no. After all, this was against everything that Mother Nature had designed so Jack had put Doc-Bot in charge of preparing for the operation._

_Jack found himself waiting for the baby's arrival. He talked to his growing belly about everything, watching and reading all maternity shows and books he could find. He decided to be a great parent, not one like his own folks were. And if the kid sometime decided to do something that Jack did not necessarily approve of, like becoming an altruistic good guy or a bloody monk, he'd let them._

_Jack was still going to continue his evil machinations. He just needed to change the field a little. Maybe something with corporations, or the military? Oh, the possibilities!_

_Snickering, the pale mechanic patted his belly._

_"Hope you're evil, little guy. Though, if you're good, I can use some 'Darth Vader' lines."_

***

_Coming around from the anesthesia was a bitch. Jack felt certain of this, his head was heavy and he was woozy. All the beeping and clanging of the metal around him didn't help, either. As he blinked and tried to adjust his eyes, a big, blurry splotch came into view._

_"Are you feeling well, sir?" The Doc-Bot asked with its mechanic voice._

_"Ugh... That depends... What the hell you used? Elephant tranquilizers?"_

_"Judging by your snark, I assume you feel adequate," the robot deduced, and Jack made a mental note to remove the automaton's sarcasm chip when he was able to hold tools again. "Would you like to meet your son, sir?"_

_That question made Jack's still rebooting brain momentarily stop. "...Son?"_

_"Yes, sir. Here he is."_

_The robot set a wrapped up bundle onto Jack's arms. As Doc-Bot helped Jack to move into a sitting position, pale fingers slowly moved the cloth aside._

_There he was._

_A tiny, round-faced baby boy with a little tuft of black hair on his head. As the light caught those tiny strands of midnight, Jack could see a sheen of light grey. The newborn's eyes were shut and he had his tiny hands curled in fists._

_Jack softly ran his finger across the boy's cheek, drawing a sudden cry from the newborn. As if in instinct, he drew the newborn against his chest and made soft, soothing sounds. Soon the little guy was calm once again, and uncurled his tiny fists, only to take ahold of Jack's shirt before falling asleep._

_Jack's eyes felt wet, and he sniffed. His baby... His handsome little boy... Now he understood how all mothers must feel, holding something that was so intimately tied to them. At the moment, he was ready to lay his life on line for this little creature. For his son._

_"Welcome little one," Jack whispered. "...Ju-long."_

***

"Sir, we have reached our destination."

A robotic voice rouse Jack from his sleep. Blinking tiredly, his eyes wandered to the console before him before they shifted to look out of the window. His self-made jet had landed in the private airport just outside of Vienna, while the sun was just starting to climb on the sky.

He had left home early for the capital, and although the flight was short, thanks to his jet, Jack had still managed to fall asleep. Thank evil for the perfect autopilot. It must have been all the work with that teleporter and his missed hours of sleep that tired him out so much. Well, once this business in Vienna was over he could catch some Z's. This would probably take the entire day, so he'd be home late. Then he'd sleep at least 2 days.

Not only was Jack here to attend some business meetings regarding some new types of weaponry for his interested buyers, he also had to search a new gym for Ju to study Kung Fu. And to meet his lawyers regarding the lawsuit issued against him because of Ju injuring his former trainer and fellow student. Busy, busy day ahead.

As he descended from the jet, the albino man pondered his dream. It wasn't new for him to dream of the old days, but why was he dreaming of then?

Well maybe it was just a result of him thinking of his days in China a few days ago?

Yeah, that must be it.

It's not like the universe was trying to tell him something, right?


	3. Chapter 3

Ju-long sighed as he was skimming through a random book. DB was curled up upon boy's back as he lay on the bed on his stomach, feet swinging back and forth. It was well into the evening but Ju-long was not tired. Dad had left for business to Vienna and was not due home until tomorrow. Hopefully he would find a new gym for Ju-long to train...

At the same time in downstairs in the foyer, a rip tore in a thin air, revealing swirling phenomenom shaped like a tear made by a wild beast. Out of the portal stepped red-haired women dressed in dark robes, eyeing her surroundings as she took of golden, ornate looking claws from her right hand.

"Huh, so this is where Jackie has been hiding?" Wuya clicked her tongue and Golden Tiger Claws in her robes for safe-keeping. This suprise visit was a rare whim that surfaced from time to time. Such was the way of immortality.

She had not seen or heard about Jack for nearly decade, not after boy's sudden disappearing. Well, not that it concerned the witch in anyway. None of the other Heylins cared about little joke-of-evildoer in their midst. Nor was he missed. Mostly boy had finally figured that he was not fit into this business.

Wuya had been bored during last year. Many of Heylins did not participate Showdowns anymore as those had started to decrease in frequence. Less and less Wu was hidden these days and today major of battles between Good and Evil either for getting existing Wu from others or between grown-up monks and Heylin Masters.

So rather than suffering from boredom, the Heylin Witch had decided to go see what her little liberator was doing. And maybe to poke him just her own sadistic pleasure.

She knew that Jack had left China but not for where. Glancing out of the window she took notice of mountain landscape covered in approaching darkness of the night. She did not have much time to ponder where this mansion was located as a whirling sound of machinery surrounded her.

In a second Wuya was surrounded by at least four dozen of familiar robots. Though these looked little different than ones in the past.

"UNAUTHORIZED ENTRANCE! LEAVE THE PERIMETERS IN PEACE OR YOU WILL BE REMOVED BY FORCE!"

"Really now?" Wuya chuckled. "And since when has that worked on anyone, hmh?"

"TARGET IDENTIFIED: WUYA, HEYLIN WITCH. THREAT LEVEL: HIGH. FINAL WARNING: LEAVE THE PERIMETERS OR HOSTILE FORCE WILL BE DEBLOID!"

"Only 'high'? Well, now I'm insulted. Let's see if we can change that..." Wuya grinned and flexed her fingers.

***

Ju-long jerked out of his musings when loud crashes and distinctive sounds of dad's robots' weaponry going off reached the upstairs. Tiny dragon-robot came back online beeping in distress as boy jumped on his feet. At the same time the door to room opened and one of the Jack-Bots peeked in.

"Young Master, please stay in the room. We have an intru-...!"

Robot's voice abrubtly broke as long nailed hand burst through it's chest, sending metal pieces and sparks all around. The bot fell forward and crumbled on the ground letting out the last sounds of dying machinery. DB flew to Ju-long's shoulders, frightened to what happened to it's kin.

"Hmph, it seems that little Jackie's improved his toys somewhat... Hm?"

Ju-long took a step backwards as red-haired woman in dark robes stepped over the robot and in to room. She seemed to be mumbling to herself until her poison green eyes noticed the young boy.

"Well, what do we have here?" Wuya pondered and looked down to dark-haired boy. "A kid? You can't be Jack's, that waste of mortal could never actually get a girl, less to bed one." She had merely followed one the robots that had retreated upstairs out of sheer curiosity. Finding a kid was something she had not expected.

Ju-long stayed quiet. Dad had told him stories about Heylin and Xiaolin. He was not stupid and recognized the Heylin Witch Wuya. He should've watched his words but as she insulted his dad, Ju-long went on defensive. "Shut up! You can't say like that from my dad, witch!"

Wuya's eyebrow went up as she stared at the boy for a while before smirking. "Hah, looks like someone has some backbone! Definetly not Jack's, then!" She grabbed Ju-long's ponytail and yanked, drawing a yelp from the boy. Tiny dragon-robot flew up and tried to claw witch's eyes off with it's claws but Wuya merely waved a hand and DB was flung to the wall with crash.

"DB!" Ju-long shouted but witch was holding tightly on his hair and when he tried to swung a fist at her, Wuya merely laughed and used her free hand to seize the fist. Ju-long actually snarled and glared at the witch with glowing red eyes as his pupils shrank to vertical lines. This gave Wuya a pause.

"By the abyss..." witch murmured. She studied the struggling boy closely, taking in his appearance. _Those eyes and aura... This kid... has to be Chase's! But how? And why's he in here...?_

Ju-long tried to yank his hand free, forcing Wuya to twist it behind his back.

 _Oh, I see now! Chase had this kid with someone and decided to hid him... That explains all! Jack was playing part in this and pretended that he was leaving the Conflict. When in reality, he was hiding that dragonbreath's brat!_ Wuya grinned to herself. _Very, very sneaky thing to do, Chase! To use that fact that no-one cares about Jackie and making him to shelter his child!_

Out loud, Wuya chuckled. "And of course that idiot does everything that Chase asks... And if he's willing to go this far to hide the brat... "

She shifted her hold so she could pull the Golden Tiger Claws out of her robes. Gripping Ju-long's hair while ignoring boy's struggling, witch smirked. "This could be very useful leverage against that scaly bastard."

Smiling wickedly at Ju-long, Wuya purred. "Come on kid, we're taking a little trip. Golden Tiger Claws!"

***

It was early afternoon the next day until Jack's jet landed on helipad next to the mansion. Stretching, young man jumped down and hissed as his joints ached. He had had to turn back to Vienna halfway home because some business gimmicks that could have not waited. Thus he was later home as he had anticipated.

Hopefully Ju wasn't too cranky since Jack had promised that boy could help him with the teleporter project. Kid could get moody if he couldn't help his dad in the workshop.

Oh well, at least Jack had good news for the boy. After a l2ong searching, he had found a new gym for Ju to train. And he had even managed to get him private tutor. Hopefully now there would be no complaints about injuries to fellow students...

As Jack pushed the main doors open and stepped in, his feet froze on their places. The entire hall was littered by the wreckages of his security-bots, torn in to pieces. The walls had dents and pieces of plaster was fallen on the floor among to wires and bolts.

"What the hell!?"

Pulling the sleeve of his jacket, Jack quickly made a series of presses on certain buttons on the device arounfd his wrist. It looked liked a clock but was actually tiny computer that was connected to his robots and main system in the workshop.

Why it had not alerted?! He should have gotten a warning about any attacks from his robots!

"Ju...!"

In response to command from the wrist computer, a tiny lid slid off from the wall next to doors and hovering machine flew out. It looked like miniature disembodied head of Jack-Bot.

"Connect to the security system! Upload the data since my left and bring additional Jack-Bots online!" Without waiting for robot's affirmative beep, Jack sprinted over the broken robots and up to the stairs.

"JU!"

Practically flying through the corridor, he reached the door to his son's room and saw yet another destroyed robot. With a large hole through it's middle. Terror constricting his throat Jack pushed the door open, hoping that he would be met by pair of familiar red eyes.

But Ju-long's room was empty.

"Ju?! Ju-long!"

Only silence answered Jack. No, he had to be hiding somewhere! His robots were programmed to ensure that Ju would be taken to safety in cases like this...!

Suddenly, a weak but familiar beep came from somewhere in the room.

Jack quickly turned towards the sound and saw tiny metal object hopping awkardly towards him.

"DB-01!" Jack crouched and picked the tiny robot up, noticing how one of it's wings was broken, preventing it to fly.

"DB... Ju, where's he..." Jack croaked, knowing that little thing could not answer as he had not installed speech-program.

Dragon-bot beeped miserably to it's creator, it's amber eyes dimming in sorrow.

Jack felt like his world had crashed. His son was the most important thing he had. If... if he lost Ju-long...

Right then one of the newly activated Jack-Bot's came to the room. "Master... The data has been restored from the surveillance system."

Craddling DB on his arms, Jack turned to face the robot. "Report then! Why I received no word of attack?!"

"An outside energy pattern disrupted the signal before system could adabt. Failure in adapting due to sudden appearance of supernatural energy."

"Supernatural? Like..."

"A Shen Gong Wu, yes. The energy pattern matches to Wu called The Golden Tiger Claws."

"Shit!" Jack swore. Someone from the Conflict had been here! And if they found about Ju-long...!

"The data from the cameras has been recovered. But the sound is corrupted. Should I replay?"

"Replay the feed from this room first from the point of attack forward."

"Yes, Master," Jack-Bot replied and the armor over it's chest opened, revealing tiny flat-screen. After few seconds of static, the video load up and showed Ju-long reclined on the bed before jumping up and looking towards the door.

Jack watched as one of the robots opened the door to be quickly destroyed. And then the assailant appeared on the screen.

"Wuya!"

Even without the sound, Jack could see how Wuya seemingly noticed Ju-long's features and how they matched those of his father's. The witch was not a fool, she could easily count one plus one. Distressed about her smirk as she pulled out the Wu and took her leave with his son, Jack's hold on DB thightened until the robot beeped in pain.

Realizing what he was doing, man loosened his grip murmuring a faint ''sorry''. He lifted DB to his shoulder and as Jack-Bot slid it's chest armor back in place, he walked next to low shelf infront of the window where Ju-long had saved the first machine they had build together. It was a sleek metal box with a single switch and as you flipped it, the box opened and a tiny piece of metal came out to push the switch back to off-setting.

It was a useless thing but they had fun making it together when Ju was 6-year-old.

"Master? What are your orders?"

Thinking, Jack lifted his eyes from the contraption to the window. "Modify my old Wu Detector to trace the energy pattern of the Golden Tiger Claws."

In the window's reflection, the bright red eyes narrowed as their owner hissed, "I'm going to get my son back. And Wuya will pay."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The thing that Jack and Ju build actually does exist! Just google "useless box" or "useless box kit" :)


	4. Chapter 4

”Wuya! What do you want?!” Raimundo yelled as he dodged the bolt of lightning the witch shot at him.

Heylin Witch had tried to sneak in to their vault while the grown-up monks where in the middle of late morning drills. Dojo had come up to them yelling that Wuya was in the temple grounds and in a heartbeat the monks launched in to defending their home

Sneering, Wuya let loose several more bolts at the monks who dived out of the way. ”Really? You actually need to ask that? Well since I'm currently in good mood...”

Kimiko shot forward and delivered a kick towards the witch who dodged and slammed her palm against female's chest, knocking her into the wall.

”I just came to borrow the Sphere of Yun,” Wuya answered, lifting the said object she had managed to snatch before monks showed up.

”To what end?” Omi demanded. Little monk had grown during the years and now stood half-head taller than Clay. Though he still retained his virtuous (and slightly naive) nature.

”Oh just tying up some loose ends and removing a thorn from side,” witch smirked. ”No need to concern yourselves with it. Your turn comes after.”

With that Wuya jumped on the wooden beam above the hall while pulling out the Golden Tiger Claws.

The Wu began to glow as she grinned maliciously to humans. ”Now I'll just be...”

Witch's sentence was cut off as something heavy and metallic blasted inside from the window she had her back on and collided with Wuya's body. Thrown off balance, she plummeted on the stone floor with screech, causing both Claws and the Sphere to roll off from her grasps.

The monks were stunned as the object that had hid the witch rolled on the floor. It was a smooth sphere of golden and silver coloured metal about the size of a basketball with yellow lines of light. A whirling sound came from the sphere and it started to unfold, turning in to small spider-like machine with four legs and tiny head with a lens. 

Tiny thing turned to look at the witch on the ground, letting out an beep.

”What... what the heck is that?” Kimiko asked as Wuya was spatting some blood from her mouth to the ground.

”Don't know... But looks like not friend of hers”, Rai said.

”WUYA!!”

Five heads shot up looking towards the window that the tiny machine had come from. On the window sill stood a male figure clad in all black with brightly coloured goggles hanging around his neck.

Crimson red eyes glared at the witch as the figure jumped down, the soles of his boots lighting in pale yellow light that seemingly halted his descend. Landing on his feet with quiet 'thud', man looked at the tiny four-legged machine that beeped. ”Good work, Track.”

”Holy...! Jack Spicer!”

Omi's shout made Jack to look at the monks and gave them a quick glance over. ”Long time no see, Cheeseball. Honestly I thought you'd stay a small fry forever.”

”...Wow”, Kimiko breathed and gave Jack once over. The goth had become hot!

”What the tarnation are you doing here, Spicer? After all these years?” Clay asked.

”Nothing that has anything to do with you guys,” Jack replied and glared at Wuya. ”She and I just have something to discuss.”

Stepping towards the witch, Jack's voice dropped low and became cold enough to cause shivers run through the spines of the Xiaolin Warriors. ”Where is he, bitch?!”

Looking at her past partner, Wuya made a note of that boy had really grown-up. But at the question, she merely scoffed as she stood up and wiped the blood from the side of her mouth. ”Well look at who's all big and bad now, aren't you boy?”

Crossing her arms, Heylin looked at the goth. ”Too bad your little act does not impress me, Jackie. And as for the boy... You can give up this little mission too. I have some designs for the kid that you have no place in.”

”That's where you are wrong, she-devil,” Jack growled. ”One more chance: WHERE. IS. MY. SON?!”

”SON?!” A multiple shouts echoed in the hall but neither Jack or Wuya gave them any heed.

” _Your_ son?” Wuya chuckled. ”My, what dedication! Why you never like this in the past?”

Then witch's face darkened. ”But you still haven't learned how to speak to your betters, brat!”

With that she shot hand towards Jack, wicked nails ready to rip goth's eyes out. But quickly Jack grapped her wrist and in an instant a powerful electric current ran through her veins, numbing her muscles.

With a shriek, Wuya fell on her knees. ”W-What...?”

”A simple neutralizer that blocks the usage of the leg and hand muscles for a time,” Jack said lifting his hand and showing a circular device on his palm. ”Very useful against martial artists, in fact.”

He then grabbed a hold on Wuya's hair, twisting her head backwards. ”And if you do not spill out where you've taken Ju-long, I'll just show how many other little things I've come up in a decade!”

”No!” Omi shot forward and forced Jack to release his hold of the witch by taking goth's wrist. ”Torture is not allowed in the Xiaolin Temple, Jack Spicer!”

Glaring at the formerly tiny monk, Jack growled, ”I don't give a rat's ass about your precious little temple! I did not track her Wu's signal here just hear your little goody talking again! I will get my son back!”

”You really have a kid, Spicer? How?” Rai asked.

”That's it, nothing's gonna suprise me anymore...” Kimiko muttered.

”Yes, I have a kid!” Jack scoffed. ” _'How?'_ Missed some basic 'birds and bees' classes, pretty boy?”

”Funny,” the brazilian snarked. ”What did you do? Doubtly any girl fucked you willingly.”

”Get your porn from somewhere else, will you? Like from the streets like you're used to.”

”You little asshol-mmmppphhh!” Rai's mouth was covered by Clay's hand.

”Now partner, let's keep this talk PG-rated, ok?”

While monks were distracting Jack, Wuya got the feeling back to her limbs. Cursong that she had lost both Golden Tiger Claws and the Sphere of Yun, she had no other choice but retreat and abandon her plotting for now. 

Reaching for the last Wu she had with her, the witch made for escape. ”Moby Morpher!”

”Wha- Dammit! Wuya!”

Morphing into a red bird, Wuya quickly took on air and flew towards the window, disappearing.

”Fuck!”

”Language, Jack Spicer!”

”Well, here's some: _cào!_ ” Jack snapped back at Omi. ”Shit, now how do I find Ju...?"

”Erm...” Kimiko came forward. ”Just what happened, Jack? I mean, I know it's been years but honestly you just appearing to almost strangle Wuya... Most have been pretty bad.”

Sighing as his shoulders slumped down, Jack figured that it did not matter much if monks knew a little bit. ”Well, in short, I just came home from business trip and found out that my security-cots had been smashed. I checked the security tapes and found out that Wuya had stopped by.”

”Why?” Japanese monk asked. ”You've been away from these things for ten years.”

”Hell if I know. Boredom?” Jack shrugged. ”Anyway, she decided to kidnap my son who was at the home by that time. I tracked the signature energy of the Golden Tiger Claws she used and ended up here.”

”Why would she kidnap your brat?” Raimundo asked suspiciously.

Jack glared at him. Honestly, he had an inkling but these guys did not need to know.

”Ok, enough!” Kimiko came between two men. ”You can track her again, can't you?”

”Doubtfully,” Jack said. ”Wuya's not an idiot and she heard what I said earlier. I could track the Moby Morpher but most likely she's not gone to wherever she took Ju-long.”

Omi tilte his head. ”Ju-long? Your son has a Chinese name?”

”Well, I pretty much grew up in this country. Sorry if I got sentimental.”

Kimiko felt little bad for Jack. As suprising as it was that he a child, former boy genius clearly cared for his son. And it was kinda monks' fault that witch had escaped. 

An thought occurred her. At least they could help Jack to find his kid.

Turning to her fellow warriors, she spoke, ”Guys, I think we could help Jack out here, right? We have the Sniffing Snout. With it, Jack's kid will be found in no time!”

” _'Sniffing Snout'?_ Seriously?” Jack mumbled. ”Where these name this stupid back then, too...?”

”And just why would we help him?” Rai challenged. ”Absent or not, he's still enemy.”

”Because, regardless of his parents, the kid's innocent, right?” Kimiko folded her arms and looked at her boyfriend.

”You know, I'M the leader still.”

”Well, what does the leader say?” Clay asked, being on the same side with Kimiko. Omi too was nodding.

Rai looked around at the determined faces of his comrades before sighing and turning toward Jack. 

”You'll give your word that you aren't scheming anything?”

”Only thing I am currently planning is to get my son back, go home and forgetting that I saw your ugly mug again.”

”...Guess that's fine, then,” Rai said. ”Omi, go get the Wu.”

”Right away!”

***

The Sniffing Snout was in fact a tiny golden statue of a dog which upon activation, turned in to life-sized metallic canine.

”It needs something that belongs to what you are tracking, like a real blood hound,” Kimiko explained to Jack. ”It then takes us to the target, no matter the distance.”

Rai looked at the goth. ”You do have something of your kid's?

Jack tapped at the one of his jacket's pockets. ”Come out, DB.”

Tiny robotic dragon with repaired wings peeked out of the pocket, beeped and climbed out before activating it's wings and flew up. Robot looked curiously at the monks, Dojo who had finally joined the lot and strange metallic dog.

”Aww, that's so cute!” Kimiko shouted.

”That belongs to your son, Jack Spicer?” Omi asked, watching tiny metallic dragon, hovering around like a hummingbird.

”Yep,” Jack asked before nodding towards the canine-Wu. ”Let that thing sniff you, DB and we'll can find Ju.

” _Beep beep!_ ” Robot voiced before complying.

Shen Gong Wu sniffed the robot and let out an metallic bark before flashing in a golden light that surrounded the whole group.

In a few heartbeats, the overwhelming cold hit them deep into their bones. All around them was a frozen wasteland. Nothing but snow and ice. Muttering something about jackets, Clay used the Golden Tiger Claws Wuya had left behind and returned to the Temple.

”Holy hell! Really, Wuya?! A frigging Antarctica?!” Rai cried and rubbed his hands together.

”Not an Antarctica, dumbass,” Jack grumbled while adjusting his jacket.

”Oh really? And just how you know it, genius?”

”Look down.”

Shoku Warrior did and frowned as he looked at the footprints on the snow. ”So? Some animal.”

”Those are bear tracks,” Jack said and rolled his eyes as the realization did not occur to Raimundo. ”Polar bear tracks.”

”Right, so we're in Antarctica.”

Kimiko smacked palm against her forehead. ”Rai, polar bears live in the Arctic, not in Antarctica.”

”Oh...”

Omi jumped up and down enthustically. ”So we'll see penguins?!”

Fire monk sighed. ”No, Omi. Those live in Antarctica.”

Meanwhile Clay returned with warm jackets for each to ward off the coldness. They then set out by foot with the Sniffing Snout at the head.

After walking perhaps an hour or so, they came at the entrance to the icy cavern. Canine-Wu barked and suddenly turned back to the tiny statue.

”Guess this is it,” Rai said as he picked up and pocketed the Wu.

Jack eyed the cavern before setting off. Right after the entrance, the slippery icy ground sloped down, forcing them to slide down inside.

”Ugh, I can't feel my nose,” Dojo complained and snuggled deeper in Clay's jacket.

”Uh, guys...?” Kimiko gasped and pointed shakily on the ground.

The snow was coloured red.

”B-blood...?” Omi gulped.

The monks were concerned but Jack seemed rather calm. He crouched down and tapped at the computer-watch on his wrist, causing a green scanning light to run over the bloodspill.

”It's not his,” Jack said. ”It's polar bear's blood.”

”And you're just okay with that?!” Rai snapped. ”There's something here that caused a fucking polar bear bleed a bucket worth of blood on the ground! And you kid's here mostly likely with that something!”

Jack dismissed Shoku Warrior's ranting and made his way deeper in to cavern, shouting along the way, ”Ju-long!”

The monks followed him but around the corner they stopped on their tracks.

They found the polar bear. 

Or rather what was left of it.

Animal was pretty much disemboweled with it's innards strewn across the snow.

”There goes my breakfast...” Clay mumbled and covered his mouth in effort not to give them any graphic demonstration.

”Oh god...” Kimiko gulped. ”What could possibly do something like that?”

”...Dad!”

The sound of child made monks to jump but a smile brightened Jack's face. ”Ju-long!”

Something shot towards the goth from the other side of the carcass, jumping and colliding against Jack's chest.

The Xiaolin Monks and Dojo were speechless.

There on Jack's arms was a reptilian being size of child. Thin, nearly serpentine body was covered in pure white scales with black jagged lines and black spiny crest running the length of the body. Clawed arms and legs had a firm grip on the fabric and long whip-like tail was wound around Jack's waist as the reptile nuzzled it's snout against the man's throat.

”Ju... You're okay, kiddo?” Jack asked and stroked the crest atop the scaled head.

”Yeah,” Ju-long answered and opened his eyes, all crimson with black vertical pupils. ”Witch dumbed me here and disappeared. It was windy and I came to this cave.”

Glancing at the dead animal, little monster flicked his forked tongue. ”Bear tried to eat me so I just killed it.”

”Well, looks like you did a good job,” Jack praised and Ju-long grinned which made the monks shudder.

Then reptile just took notice of them.

”Who are those, dad?” Ju-long asked before sniffing and wrinkling his snout with one black jagged line atop of it. ”They smell Good.”

Depsite the shock of encountering this... thing, Raimundo managed to snap back. ”That face does not fit to that compliment, you know.”

”It's not a compliment,” Ju-long said. ”You reek of Goodness. A disgusting smell.”

Jack lowered Ju to ground. ”These are the Xiaolin Dragons I've told you about. They... offered to help to find you because thanks to them, Wuya managed to escape.”

”Hey!” Rai yelled.

Ju-long tilted his head. ” _Those_ are the monks? Really? Don't look anything special...”

”No-one wants an opinion of _a monster_ ,” Shoku Warrior growled.

”This... this is your son, Jack?” Kimiko looked from one to another. ”But he looks like...”

”None of your business, monks,” Jack growled. ”This little co-op is ended. Thanks for the help and goodbye. Ju, turn back.”

Obeying, the small dragon shifted back to his humanoid form before looking at his dad. ”Can we go home now?”

Before Jack could answer, Raimundo shot forward and grabbed the front of Jack's jacket. ”Now hold up, Spicer! You're not going anywhere without explaining! _Your_ kid, huh! Do you take us for idiots, bastard?!”

”You really want me to answer that?”

”That monster-form and that face!” Shoku Warrior pointed at now humanoid Ju-long who features were rather discriminating. ”Now it makes Wuya's actions more clear. That's Chase Young's brat, not yours!”

Red eyes flashed angrily and Jack wrenched himself free of monk's hold.

”Listen well, asshole,” Jack growled. ”All of you. Ju is _my_ son and if you so much as touch a single hair or scale on him, you'll be in a world of pain! I'm sick of the sight of you! DB, the Wu!”

Tiny robot shot towards Clay and grabbed the Golden Tiger Claws from the cowboy with it's metallic clawed feet.

”What the tarnation?!”

DB dropped the Wu in Jack's hands and landed on Ju-long's shoulder.

Quickly fitting the Wu on his hand and taking his son's hand on other, Jack grinned at the monks. ”So long, losers! Don't worry, I'll leave the Wu to Temple, as a show of my gratitude. Gold Tiger Claws!”

”Spicer, you damned two-faced...!”

Raimundo's shout cut short as Jack, Ju-long and DB disappeared in the vortex and transported back to the temple grounds.

”You are really going to give that back?” Ju-long asked his dad, nodding towards the Wu.

”Well, I did give my word,” Jack said. ”Besides, if I keep it, those _heroes_ will just have an excuse to come bother us later. And soon there would be no need for this, anyway.”

With that, Jack tossed the mystical object to ground. ”Come, my jet's not far. Let's go home.”

***

The evening had already turned into the night when they came back to Austria. And despite the fact that he was not hurt or particularly exhausted, Ju-long fell asleep the moment his head hit the pillow. DB powered down, curling up next to boy. 

Jack smiled and turned off the lights before exiting the room.

The damages had already been repaired and security system updated when they returned home. Jack made his way downstairs and into the den. Large bookcases lined two walls and floor-to-ceiling windows viewed the mountain landscape clad in the moonlight. 

Tossing his leather jacket on the sofa, Jack poured himself a glass of scotch. He rarely drank but the day had been exhausting. At least in mental way.

And the atmosphere still refused to lighten up. It was rather oppressive...

... _Oh._

Sighing, Jack put the glass down, staring at the golden liquid.

”Figures that nothing would escape your eyes...”

Turning around, crimson eyes met with different kind of gold.

”...Chase.”


	5. Ju-long & DB-01 Character Sheet




	6. Chapter 6

”I kinda have an idea why you are here,” Jack said leaning his back against the cupboard, eyeing the immortal warlord. He cursed silently in his mind, he just knew that sooner or later Chase would learn of Ju-long. Should known it would be sooner...

”Oh, do you?” Dragonlord said, his voice betrayting none of his emotions. ”Good, it saves time. So, care to explain this little secret you've been hiding?”

Jack scoffed. ”Hiding? Not even close. If you have happened to forget, it was YOU who told me to take a hike. Is the dementia finally hitting? That took it's time.”

Narrowing his eyes, Chase snarled and suddenly moved faster than human eye could detect. Suddenly Jack hit the wall and cloved hand pressed his throat. With a hint of claws hiding under the cloth.

”It seems Wuya was right: you _HAVEN'T_ learned how talk to your betters, worm,” warlord growled, applying just a hint more of pressure, making Jack hiss in discomfort. ”If I weren't so interested to hear just why you have seemingly conducted some little experiments, I'd have tore your throat open by now.”

”Ngh... Experi-... What the fuck?!” Jack rasped, clambing hands around the wrist holding him prisoner. ”I haven't fucking done none of that!”

”Oh? Enlighten me then: just how is it that you have a child who has similar features as I do? And let us not the forget draconic form?!”

Jack grit his teeth both in pain and anger. This bastard! ”If anything, I should ask that from you! Ngh... Just how is it that immortal, supernatural draconic monster can knock a mere lowly mortal up?!”

” _What?_ ” Chase jerked in suprise and let Jack go.

Coughing and rubbing his sore throat, mortal man straightened after Chase had dropped him and got some twisted satisfaction from dragonlord's shocked expression. ”Yes. Suprise: you got me pregnant! Looks like it's news to you as well... Take a reminder: always use a protection.”

”You..you...” Chase mumbled. ” _Pregnant?!?_ ”

”Don't believe? I can probably get some videomaterial from the surgery. Jackbots pretty much record everything,” Jack said, crossing his arms. ”There. You got your answers, now I'm sure you have some... evil-warlord-things and I have had a long day, so... Goodbye.”

Snapping out of his thoughts, Chase saw how Jack was starting to move out of the room. Deciding the course of action, he snapped the hold of albino's wrist, spinning him around. Jack found himself a hairspread away from Chase's face, golden eyes narrowed.

”It matters not how this came to be,” warlord said. ”Anyway, the boy is of my blood. He'll come with me.”

Not believing his ears, Jack stared at the warlord for a moment in silence before he found his voice again. ”What? We'll be fine just two of us, thank you very!”

”Really?” Chase countered. ”Wuya got past your little security system, did she not? And she has a big mouth. It won't be long until someone more dangerous learns of boy's existence and decides to use him against me.”

”As usual; it's always about you,” Jack spat.

”Between two of us? Yes,” immortal said. ”Can you protect him? Even from Hannibal?”

Jack grew silent. He dropped his head down, red bangs concealing his eyes. Gritting his teeth, Jack felt cornered. Chase was right; only reason they had been left alone was the fact that no-one who knew Chase had any idea of Ju-long's existence. Despite all his advanced technology, his machines were not much of a problem for a supernatural beings like Wuya, not to mention Bean.

”Seems like you understand. Good,” Chase said. And then quickly let his hold go, twirling around and closing his fist around a black-white scaled tail of the boy that had tried to jump at him.

”Leave my dad alone!” Ju-long snarled and tried to claw Chase's arm. Warlord cocked an eyebrow at little beast's antics, tilting his head before he dropped the boy.

Ju-long landed on the floor but quickly stood up, sharp teeth bared and snarling at the warlord.

Chase looked curiously at the tiny dragon and his skin started to shift. Green and black scales burst out and his features stretched. Black spines flared up and razor sharp teeth cleamed as his transformation was over.

Now, much larger dragon monster stood before the younger one. Chase's body was much more bulkier than lean, serpentine one that Ju-long had. Adult could easily crush the boy with one feet.

Ju-long's spines fell flat as he took in the sight of other, but soon flared them up again in defiance.

”Ju... Stand down.”

Bicoloured dragon looked behind him. ”But... dad...”

” _Now_ , Ju-long.”

Knowing that tone, dragon-boy dropped his fighting stance and backed up from Chase, coming next to Jack who crouched down.

”You were supposed to be sleeping,” Jack said softly, petting black spines.

”Could not sleep,” Ju-long muttered. And it was partly true. He had fallen asleep but woke up when a strange sensation ran through him. It was like he sensed something entirely new. And in the same time it was familiar, too.

Sneaking downstairs, he had heard talking from the den and peeked from the doorway. Dad had been in fierce talk with a man Ju-long had never seen before but recognized immediatly from dad's stories.

The Heylin Warlord, Chase Young.

Ju-long's father.

He had been excited at firstly. All the stories dad had told about his father had made Ju-long want to meet him. But boy had stopped asking if they could go and meet Chase after few first times because though he tried to hide it, Ju-long could smell the sadness that overcame his dad everytime. 

Jack smiled and said that it was not a good idea for now, being honest that Ju-long's father would not like if Jack suddenly appear. But if Ju-long wanted, he could go himself when he was older.

Ju-long did not know exactly why his father was not with them but what ever it was, it made his dad sad. So he did not press the matter.

Boy listened the heated words silently, wondering if he should go back upstairs when armored man not only grabbed his dad's wrist in clearly painful grip but also saying that he would be taking Ju-long with him.

Seeing red, boy felt his scales emerging. Father or not, he was hurting dad! And wanting to break them apart! In anger, he had leaped without thinking.

Now, standing before his dad, he felt foolish, though

”Guess I should not be suprised that you sensed him...” Jack's musing brought boy back to present.

Jack stood up and nudged Ju-long to turn around back towards the larger dragon. ”Well... Since it's like this... Ju-long, meet your father, Chase Young.”

Ju-long looked at the man, his father who too was still in his draconic form, scaled arms crossed and bright golden eyes assessing Ju-long.

There was a long moment of silence during which none of the three males moved or said anything. Until Ju-long broke the silence, addressing the immortal.

”I'm not going with you.”

Chase blinked once and then narrowed his eyes, rumbling, ”The decision is not yours, boy.”

Flashing his teeth, Ju-long growled, ”I'm not leaving. You can't make me.”

”Ju, don't..” Jack tried to say before Chase cut him off.

”Trust me, I can. Even if I need to drag you from your tail.” Warlord was then silent for a moment before continuing. ”You are ignorant in this matter, boy. So be silent.”

”No!” Ju-long snarled. ”I don't care that you're my father, I'm not leaving dad!”

”Seems like you have done a good job for _once_ , Spicer. Filling him with hate towards me,” Chase said, looking at Jack.

”I've done nothing like that,” Jack answered, glaring at man. ”Maybe it's because you want pretty much to drag him away from his home.”

”Tsk,” chinese man let out, swishing his tail in annoyance before turning back to Ju-long. ”Your _dad_ will be the death of you, boy. He can't even keep that witch out, less other more vicious ones. Not suprising, the incapable worm he has always been...”

Not wanting to hear anymore, Ju-long attacked with teeth bared. And sank them right into green scaled arm, tearing the hide.

”Ju-long!” Jack shouted.

Chase merely stood in place, watching in disinterest as tiny dragon tried render his flesh before wavying him off with ease. Black and white dragon hit the side of sofa, tumbling down on the floor. ”With the attack and bite like that, you'll do no more damage than a mosquito.”

Ju-long was ready to attack again but Jack quickly stopped him. ”Ju, stop it!”

Boy reluctanly obeyed but kept glaring at the immortal.

”...He is right.”

That caused two dragons to turn their heads towards the only human in room.

”D-dad?”

Jack sighed before continuing. ”Your father is right, Ju-long. I can't protect you anymore. Wuya proved it. It was possible only because they did not know...”

”But... but we have all your Jackbots! And your tech's the best there is!” Ju-long cried out.

Jack went down on his knees and brought his hands on Ju-long's scaly shoulders. ”As impressive as it is...” Jack said with a sad grin. ”Remember when I told you about Xiaolin and Heylin?”

Ju-long nodded, his spines fallen flat.

”I mentioned the guy called Bean,” Jack continued. ”There is a change that he may show up and my Bots can't compete with him.”

Glancing at Chase, Jack kept going. ”He's probably only one who can. As much as I hate to admit that...”

”B-but I don't want to go...” Ju-long stubbornly said.

Jack gave in and pulled the boy in his arms, hugging him as Ju-long's tail warpped around his waist. ”I know, kiddo but it's the best option now,” Jack said, ignoring the disgusted sound Chase let out due the scene. ”And think it this way: you can learn martial arts properly. You won't find a better teacher.”

”Flattering again, Spicer?”

Throwing a glare at the warlord who had finally reverted back to humanoid form, albino man spat out. ”You wish.”

Turning back to his son, Jack wiped off the tears that fell from reptilian eyes. ”Come now, Ju. It's not the goodbye, I promise.”

Ju-long looked between his dad and Chase silently. He did not want to go but at the same time knew that dad was only thinking about what was the best.

”...Ok.”

Jack smiled but it did not reach his eyes. Nevertheless, he stood up with little dragon in his arms. ”Hey, chin up. It's not the end of the world.”

”Guess not...” Ju-long said before flashing a somber grin. ”There's too little zombies around.”

Unable to help it, Jack chuckled. ”That's my favorite dragon monster. Promise you'll be good, ok?”

Ju-long shifted back to human form. ”Never.”

Shaking his head, Jack grinned at their little inside joke before setting Ju-long down. ”Go gather the most important things and then come back down. I imagine that your father,” Jack glared at Chase, ”wants to go as soon as possible.”

Ju-long looked troubled, looking finally at Chase. ”Can I bring DB?”

Chase looked at Jack and albino filled him in, ”That robotic dragon.”

Recalling the little thing, Chase huffed, ”Fine.”

With that, Ju-long made his way back to upstairs. With next to none enthusiasm.

In the den, the silence rang between two men. Jack sighed and ran fingers through his hair, feeling more exhausted than ever before.

”Chase...” he began. ”Just... promise that you take a good care of him, ok...?”

Warlord looked at the technician impassively. ”I do not need to make any promises to you, worm.”

Feeling infuriated but too tired to act upon it, Jack merely turned, walking back to the glass of scotch he had put down when the immortal appeared. Throwing the rest of the liquor down, he grimaced when it burned his sore throat.

”But...”

Jack looked back at man when Chase continued.

”...boy will not come harmed.”

”Guess that's the best I'll get, then...” Jack murmured, turning the empty glass in his hand. ”He has a name, you know.”

Chase didn't see necessary to answer that and feeling still agitated, Jack kept going.

”But if he is hurt, no matter what... I'll be collecting the payment from your hide, Chase.”

Chase narrowed his eyes. ”Is that a threat, Spicer?”

Jack was quiet and warlord thought it was just a hot air...

”No.”

**CRASH**

The glass that was a moment ago in technician's hand was flung right past Chase's head, missing only narrowly and smashed in to countless tiny fragments that rain down on the floor at warlord's feet.

”It's a _promise_.”


	7. Chapter 7

Ju-long hit the floor hissing in pain but rolled aside as a downward kick made it's home on the spot he was just a second ago. Panting, Ju-long leaped backwards to get a breather.

”If you keep that up, you'll never defeat your opponent,” his father pointed out and chased Ju-long with swift attacks around the large hall they were currently in.

Huffing Ju-long finally tried attack. He leaped over Chase's kick and shifted his fingers into claws, trying to swipe at the immortal. But the elder merely grabbed his wrist and flung him over.

”Allowing your opponent to taunt you into reckless actions will be your doom, boy.”

Ju-long hit the ground again, grunting on impact. He was tired, they had been training for hours.

Chase eyed the boy and scoffed before walking towards him. ”This is enough for today. Do you stretches, I don't want to hear any whining about sore muscles tomorrow.”

”Yes, _shīfu._ ”

”After the dinner, head straight to the study. We'll continue where we were left on the basic spellcraft.”

”...” Ju-long was quiet as he started to do the stretches.

” _Ahem._ ”

”...yes, _shīfu._ ”

Chase narrowed his eyes. ”Anything you want say, son?”

”...nothing.”

”Do not try _that_ tone with me, boy,” warlord growled as he turned around and began walking towards the doorway. ”Spicer may have let you get away with it, but I will not.”

”...” Ju-long mumbled something too low even for the dragonlord to hear the exact words.

”What was that, son?”

”...”

”I asked a question, boy and...!”

”I said: _SHUT UP!_ ” Ju-long quickly snarled and glared at his father with blood-red eyes glowing.

Chase swirled around, growling at boy's insolence. ”How dare you, brat! You will show respect to your father!”

”You. Are. **Not.** My. Father!” 9-year-old spat, clenching his fists.

”The blood flowing through your veins speaks differently, _son_ ,” Chase said. ”And you should learn that quickly. You are of my blood and I've given your a great priviledge to be trained by me.”

”Where have you been then?” Ju-long growled and his hair started to gain a resemble of the spines.

”What?” Chase blinked in sudden question.

”If it's so important to share your blood, why I haven't met you before? Why were you never there on my birthday? Or Christmas? Or when I got my first intermediate belt?”

”As you surely heard, your dad kept you hidden from...”

”Like that would have mattered,” Ju-long broke the warlord's sentence off. ”Dad told me the stories. You could have found out about me years ago, right?”

That made warlord fell silent, confirming Ju-long's words.

”But you didn't,” boy said now silently, dropping his eyes on the ground as his hair settled back down to it's normal state. ”You never bothered to know...” 

The silence reigned for a few minutes in the large hall between two draconic monsters. Only the flames crackling in torches could be heard.

When Ju-long lifted his head, the crimson eyes had a watery shine on them. ”I wanted to meet you... Dad's stories about you were so _cool_... But also I didn't want to. Dad... He always sounded so sad... So I only listened...”

He sniffed. ”Why?! Why did you hurt my dad?!”

”Don't be ridicu-...”

”No!” Boy stomped his feet in angry. ”I'm not an idiot! You did something! Something that makes dad sad! And then you never came to see us! And now... now...! You made me to leave home! Leave dad! **Alone!** ” The volume of Ju-long's voice kept growing until he was shouting, the words echoing from the walls.

”Maybe I'm of your blood and teaching me, but YOU ARE NOT MY FATHER! **Never!** ” Now the tears run down the pale cheeks.

With that, boy bolted and run past the warlord, disappearing into the darkness beyond the doorway, leaving Chase standing there, taken aback by child's words.

Blinking, warlord glanced at the ground. Spots of clear liquid trailed after the runaway child, gleaming in the flickering light.

Chase run hand through his hair, sighing. When did his life turned out like this...?

***

One of his warriors padded out of the throne room after delivering the report to his Master. Ju-long had ran into his rooms and refused to leave them, keeping only his little robotic pest as company. After giving the order to deliver his meals to the boy so he won't starve, Chase dismissed his servant.

Leaning back on his throne, the immortal twirled absent-mindedly his gobblet of wine, staring at the dark red liquid.

Ju-long's words played across his mind, along with the memories. Memories of that one night...

Snarling, the overlord tossed his drink to the ground. The force of the action caused the metal to bend and gobblet clanked as it fell down the stairs. Now the spilled wine seemed brighter as it stained the marble. Like those crimson eyes back then...

”No!” Chase growled, tilting his head back and bringing the palm against his forehead, squeezing his eyes shut. _It's over! Stop thinking about it! About him! It's been nearly a decade!_

Eyes opened for a fraction and their usual golden hue was overshadowed by red tint. ”I... don't need him! I don't want him! Spicer's nothing to me! _Nothing!_ ”

Gritting his teeth, Chase jumped off his throne and flung his fist straight to nearby column, shattering the stone like it was nothing. The sound of exploding stone was accompanied with a roar.

As the dust settled and tiny bits of stone fell to the ground, Chase send out an mental call and soon ten of his warriors appeared, shifting into humanoid forms and drawing their weapons at their Master's silent command.

Chase grinned wickedly. He really needed to beat something to the bloody pulp...

***

After working out his frustration and now with clear head, Chase sat in his garden, meditating.

He needed to find a solution to this problem. He would not be able to train Ju-long properly if the boy kept up this hatred against him. In worst case scenario, he could be manipulated by Chase's enemies to turn against the warlord and that was not what Chase wanted. To earn boy's loyalty was essential, especially if he was trained to be a true Heylin. Yet how...?

Snarling, Chase opened his eyes as the only viable solution came to his mind. Ju-long would continue oppose him if Chase kept him away from Spicer... So the answer was to let them at least meet. 

But Spicer's home was already once invaded, by Wuya no less. And Chase was right when he had said that no doubt Bean would learn of Ju-long's existence, if he had not already... 

No, letting the boy to go Spicer was out of the question. So... Spicer had to come here.

Growling, Chase glared at the nearby vegetation as it was responsible to this situation.

He did not want Spicer here. Not after managing to keeping the mortal away for so long!

But... It was the only way.

Scoffing, warlord stood up. It seems he had pay Spicer a visit again.

***

Appearing in the same room where he had confronted Spicer only three months earlier, Chase made a note that it was still daytime here in Europe. Last time he had not had much interest to observe his surroundings but now golden eyes took in the high-quality details and desing of the room. 

Large windows let in the light and the overview of the snow-capped mountains. Large flat screen TV hung from the wall over the firplace with bookshelves stretching along the walls on both sides. Titles were not enough to peek Chase's interest until his eyes fell on one particular book, lying alone on one self. Though it was not a book at all, Chase noticed as he picked it up. It was a photo album.

Despite his common sense telling him to not bother with it, his curiosity proved stronger and album was opened.

It was filled with photos. And only of Spicer and Ju-long, along with tiny dragon robot and some of Spicer's own robots. Varying from birthdays and other celebrations to every day activities, it showed that photos were taken during Ju-long's entire life. The first ones were fro when boy was newlyborn and some even before that during...

...during Spicer's pregnancy.

It was... strange to see a photo of still barely adult mechanic with swollen belly in what looked like a terrifying mood swing, chucking a maternity book at nearest Jack-Bot's head. Other robot must have taken the picture.

Without realizing it, Chase slowly ran a gloved finger over the photo, particularly over the albino before he got a hold of himself. Jerking his hand away, warlord deposited the album back to it's original place, scoffing.

What a waste of time.

Now where was that mortal? Better get this over quickly.


End file.
